PM Narendra Modi congratulates Maharashtra’s new CM Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray had himself called up the prime minister last night and invited him for his swearing in but Modi couldn’t attend the function.

indiaUpdated: Nov 28, 2019 20:15 IST

HT Correspondent

Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Shiv Sena party leader Uddhav Thackeray waves to supporters as he arrives to takes oath as Maharashtra chief minister in Mumbai.(Photo: AP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Uddhav Thackeray for taking oath as Maharashtra’s 18th chief minister and expressed hope that he will work diligently for the state.

Prime Minister’s tweet came minutes after Uddhav was sworn-in at the symbolic Shivaji maidan in Mumbai on Thursday evening along with six of his ministers, two each, from the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress.

Uddhav Thackeray had himself called up the prime minister last night and invited him for his swearing in but Modi couldn’t attend the function.

“Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” Narendra Modi tweeted.

Prime Minister’s congratulatory message follows a bitter tussle between his party, the BJP and Uddhav’s Shiv Sena, over Maharashtra government formation, led to break-up in their three-decade old alliance.

BJP’s refusal to share the CM’s post with ally Shiv Sena, led to Uddhav joining hands with political rivals, the Congress and the NCP, in order to secure the chief minister’s post.

The prime minister had earlier on November 22, also congratulated Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar, who had been sworn in as the chief minister and the deputy chief minister last Saturday in a dramatic turn of events aimed to turn the tables on Shiv Sena led new alliance.

“Congratulations to @Dev_Fadnavis Ji and @AjitPawarSpeaks Ji on taking oath as the CM and Deputy CM of Maharashtra respectively. I am confident they will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” PM had tweeted on November 22.

The BJP and Shiv Sena leaders continue to spar but the prime minister has maintained a distance from the war of words between the allies.